


All Your Danger Is in Discord

by Mara



Category: GARO: Makai Senki
Genre: F/M, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-19 23:50:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11324286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: Of all the things Leo might have expected to happen after the enemy's defeat, this was more or less the least likely.





	All Your Danger Is in Discord

**Author's Note:**

> I was rewatching some of my favorite bits of this series and…well, this happened. It has one fairly big spoiler for Makai Senki.

Leo frowned down at the marble floor he was walking on. It was surprisingly tiring being stalked, it turned out.

After a moment, he made a sudden sharp turn down a lesser-used hall, which led (as he knew from his tenure working for the Senate) to an even lesser-used set of rooms. All the voices died away and the footsteps narrowed down to just the one set that had been dogging him on and off for weeks.

Finally reaching his destination, Leo whirled. "Don't you have a district to patrol?"

Grinning, Suzumura Rei leaned against the wall just a few meters back, arms crossed and apparently at total ease. "I'm not neglecting my duties."

Eruba harrumphed. "You certainly have a lot of free time to be wandering around the Senate."

From Rei's wrist, Silva snapped back. "You have no idea what you're talking about. Zero—"

"Silva!"

"Fine," Silva said. 

Leo took a breath and bowed. "I'm sorry if you still blame me for my brother's actions, but I—"

"No no." Rei waved a hand, pushing off from the wall. "Nothing like that." Despite the words, Leo couldn't help tensing as the other man came closer, but Rei lifted his hands far from his swords. "I swear on Silva that I’m not here on some mission of vengeance."

"Then what is it?"

Rei's grin just widened. "This is refreshing. You're usually overly deferential to everyone. I like this side of you better."

A headache was starting to develop at the back of Leo's skull. "I'm deferential to my seniors, such as Kouga, as is proper."

"Well, yes, Kouga is your senior." Rei shrugged. "He's everyone's senior. But what about everyone else?"

"If you've got a point, maybe you could get to it?" Eruba said.

"Eruba!"

Rei just laughed. "My point is that I've been watching you."

"I had noticed." Leo could barely refrain from rolling his eyes.

"And you're stronger and smarter than everyone in this building." Rei's expression grew serious. "They should be a lot more deferential to _you_."

Leo found himself completely and utterly speechless. He blinked a few times, waiting for things to make sense, but that didn't help. "Er…what?" he managed eventually.

Stepping even closer, Rei was almost in his personal space. "You're a Makai Knight _and_ a Makai Priest. Nobody has managed that in living memory. You created the first truly new Horror-hunting tool we've seen in over a century. This lot should be begging you for help, not ordering you like a dog."

"Sigma—"

"His crimes aren't yours." Rei took an additional step forward and they were almost nose-to-nose. "They have no right to blame you."

"It's only human to do so." Leo blinked again. "What…what do you want?"

"You're smart. Figure it out. When you do, maybe you'll come find me." For a moment, Rei looked uncertain, but then he grinned, turning and walking away down the corridor.

Leo stood very still and watched him go. "What just happened?" he asked eventually.

"I have no idea," Eruba said. "Humans are odd."

* * *

Leo spent several days trying to forget about his strange conversation with Rei, but it itched at the back of his brain. Hiding out in his workshop to avoid the stares and whispers from those who had fought his brother, he found himself replaying Rei's words.

But he was perfectly happy with his role at the Senate. He _was_. There was simply no reason for him to start twitching when more senior Priests forgot he wasn't an errand boy to be sent to a storeroom. It was just due to him looking so young. Obviously.

And if he ended up doing sword practice alone most often, well, it was understandable that so many of the Knights would be wary as well. Wasn't it? Even after so many months?

When he found he couldn't take it any longer, Leo asked for permission to travel to Kouga's district and consult with him on some matters. Kouga's name worked its usual magic, even more powerful than anything he could conjure with his brush.

Gonza's face lit up when he saw Leo at the door and he welcomed him in eagerly. "Master Kouga and Miss Kaoru will be most pleased to see you. Please, make yourself at home and I will find them and bring you tea."

Bemused, Leo found himself in his usual seat in the sitting room feeling…welcome? Eruba was emitting a sort of pleased hum. "What?" Leo asked.

"Nothing," she said. 

And then Kaoru was in the room and he barely had enough time to stand before she was giving him a big hug, which he couldn't help but return. It hardly even hurt any longer to see her in this house. 

"I'm so glad to see you," she said, finally letting go. "Are you here on business?"

"Not exactly," he admitted.

"Then you'll stay for dinner?"

"Yes." He grinned down at her. "I'd like that."

"Wonderful!" She turned as Kouga entered the room. "I'll go tell Gonza it's three for dinner."

Kouga watched her go with the fond smile she seemed to evoke in everyone. And that barely hurt either, Leo thought with mild amusement at himself.

"It's good to see you," Kouga said, bowing his head surprisingly low in greeting.

And that was when Leo realized how infrequently Kouga bowed to anyone, let alone a more serious bow such as that. "Er, it's good to see you too. I have a rather odd matter to discuss with you in private. It's nothing serious," he added quickly when Kouga looked concerned. "Just strange."

"After dinner, then?"

"Yes, please."

* * *

They exchanged pleasantries until Kaoru rejoined them, at which point she grilled Leo about what he had been doing. It was…nice. Relaxing.

Leo tried to remember the last time he hadn't been tense and wary and couldn't come up with an answer.

Finally dinner was over and Kaoru excused herself and Kouga led Leo into his study.

"What's wrong?" Kouga asked bluntly.

"Not wrong, exactly." Leo frowned. "I had a strange visit from Rei and I was hoping you could explain it."

"Rei?" 

"He was, well, he was following me. I thought perhaps he was planning to ambush me." It sounded ridiculous now that he said it aloud and he felt his cheeks warm.

Kouga was polite enough not to dismiss it out of hand, but after a moment of consideration, he shook his head. "Unlikely. If he had changed his mind and now distrusted you, he would have called you out publicly."

"Mmm. Well, I finally confronted him." 

Leo reported their words and actions and Kouga leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful and fingers steepled. "He is correct."

"What?" Leo and Eruba chorused.

"You should be receiving significantly more respect."

"I…" Leo had no words. 

Kouga waved a hand, looking irritated. "Perhaps you should consider a change in venue. I'm sure there are many districts that would be grateful for your dual expertise."

"You do me too much honor," Leo finally managed.

"Don't be ridiculous." Kouga looked thoughtful again. "Consider it."

"I will," Leo said, trying to hide how dubious he was. Now Kouga was being strange as well.

* * *

Returning to the Senate was even less pleasant after his warm reception at Kouga's home, but Leo doggedly dove back into his work and managed to put everyone's strange behavior out of his mind.

So he was even more surprised to find Tsubasa sitting awkwardly in his lab one afternoon a few days later. 

"Tsubasa!" Leo bowed. "Are you well? Do you need my assistance?"

Rising, the other man bowed as well. "I'm fine. That's not why I'm here."

"Oh. Good." 

"Let's spar," Tsubasa said abruptly.

"O…kay?" Leo followed Tsubasa out, considering the possibility that the mark of oblivion had done some hitherto unnoticed damage to the brains of the knights around him.

With no explanation, Tsubasa led him to the practice grounds, launching an attack with his staff the moment Leo joined him. It took all Leo's strength to parry it with his sword.

"Good." Tsubasa smiled now. "I was worried you might be completely out of practice."

"Did Kouga send you?"

Tsubasa spun his staff. "If you're as strong as I hear, this should be enjoyable."

Leo sighed. Well, he had been wishing for a live opponent, hadn't he? 

Tsubasa didn't hold back and their fight got louder and flashier, attracting other knights. Leo wondered how many were watching by now, but he was never given an opening to pause and count as he ducked and rolled and staggered back from a particularly heavy blow. The other knight was _very_ strong and clearly hadn't been slacking as much as Leo had.

Without ever donning his armor, Tsubasa ran him through his paces quite thoroughly and Leo found himself using muscles he'd been neglecting and moves he thought he'd forgotten. Finally, Tsubasa gestured to him to stand down and Leo bent, hands on his knees to catch his breath.

"Good job," Tsubasa said, with approval evident in his tone, his voice carrying to the spectators. "The Golden Knight and the Silver Fang were correct that you just needed someone to spar with."

Leo's face went even more red as he straightened. What the…

"Hyuuga sends his regards," Tsubasa said softly as he stepped forward, patting Leo's shoulder. "And thanks you for your care of both of us."

"You're welcome."

Raising his voice again, Tsubasa stepped back, bowing deeply to Leo. "It was an honor to spar with you, sir."

Before Leo could protest the honorific, Tsubasa was walking off the practice field, nodding at other knights as he passed.

They stepped aside to allow him to pass and Leo could see several of them turn to look at him, eyes wide with interest rather than the anger he'd gotten used to. Well, that was certainly refreshing. If still very odd.

* * *

Finally, he decided to do what he probably should have done in the first place.

"Hmm," Kaoru said after Leo had explained everything that had happened in the past few weeks. She studied him, propping her elbows on the rattling metal table in the small café she'd chosen to meet him in. "I think you're making this all too complicated," she said finally.

"In what way?"

Biting her lip, she considered his question in the manner of one who has lived with a Makai Knight for some time and knows to choose their words carefully. "You're looking for hidden motives, but it's, well, it's exactly what it seems."

"But…I'm not sure what it seems like! Can't you explain?"

She shook her head slowly. "I don't think that would help you." She smiled gently as he growled under his breath in frustration. "I know that's not the answer you wanted."

Leo gritted his teeth. 

Patting his hand, Kaoru pushed herself back from the table. "Just…try to put yourself in Rei's shoes, maybe? And think about what you want." And with that parting shot, she swooped in and pecked him on the cheek. "Come for dinner again soon? Kouga and I always love to see you."

Touching his cheek, he watched her leave. She looked so happy. He could see why Kouga was willing to do just about any—

Leo's mental train skidded off the tracks. Really?

Really?

That was a ridiculous conclusion. Rei had never shown any sign of…

Then Kaoru's other point became clear: What _did_ he want?

* * *

Leo sat on the bench looking over the water as the sun slowly dropped below the skyline, fiddling with his brush and trying not to look as nervous as he felt. "They're nearby," Eruba said softly. "Silva says they will be here in a few moments. Are you certain of this?"

Nodding, Leo took several deep breaths.

"It's a nice view," Rei said behind him.

"Yes, it is."

Rei dropped on the bench beside him, managing a graceful sprawl. "So you came. Took you long enough." 

Leo glanced sideways. "Just because they call me a genius doesn't mean I understand _everything_ immediately."

Throwing his head back, Rei laughed, uninhibited. "True."

Leo tucked his brush back into a jacket pocket and tried not to fiddle with Eruba on his finger. "I thought, perhaps, I could take a leave of absence from the Senate."

Rei stilled, face going neutral as he waited.

"And, um, move to this district?"

"Why?" 

Leo swallowed a few times before turning to face Rei fully, allowing his eyes to drink their fill of the way his leather pants hugged his body and he looked deceptively relaxed. "I hoped to…to get to know you better?" He couldn't help turning it into a question.

For a moment, Rei just stared back at him and Leo thought he would die if he was somehow wrong about all this. But the smile began and it wasn't a mean one and Rei was no longer sprawled, but leaning toward him. "That's a great idea," Rei said.

And then they were kissing and Leo didn't have the attention to pay to anything else.

\--end--


End file.
